me this large diamond."

"The old goat--sell it, and drink his health with it."

"No, I'll keep it in memory of his daughter."

Here Gascoigne fell into a melancholy reverie, and Jack thought of
Agnes.

In two days they arrived at Mahon, and found the _Aurora_ already there,
in the command of Captain Wilson. Mr Hicks had persuaded Captain Hogg
to furnish him with clothes, Jack having taken off the injunction as
soon as he had quitted the admiral. Mr Hicks was aware that if the
admiral would not listen to his complaint, it was no use speaking to a
captain: so he remained on board a pensioner upon Captain Hogg, and
after our midshipmen quitted the transport they became very good
friends. Mr Hicks consented to the match, and Captain Hogg was made
happy. As for poor Azar, she had wandered about until she was tired in
Miss Hicks's dress, and at last returned broken-hearted to her father's,
and was admitted by Abdel Faza himself; he imagined it was Miss Hicks,
and was in transports--he discovered it was his daughter, and he was in
a fury. The next day she went to the zenana of Osman Ali.

When Jack reported himself he did not tell the history of the
elopements, that he might not hurt the feelings of Gascoigne. Captain
Wilson was satisfied with the manner in which he had executed his
orders, and asked him, "whether he preferred staying in the _Harpy_ or
following him into the _Aurora_."

Jack hesitated.

"Speak frankly, Mr Easy; if you prefer Captain Sawbridge to me I shall
not be affronted."

"No, sir," replied Easy, "I do not prefer Captain Sawbridge to you; you
have both been equally kind to me, but I prefer you. But the fact is,
sir, that I do not much like to part with Gascoigne, or--"

"Or who?" said the captain, smiling.

"With Mesty, sir; you may think me very foolish--but I should not be
alive at this moment, if it had not been for him."

"I do not consider gratitude to be foolish, Mr Easy," replied Captain
Wilson. "Mr Gascoigne I intend to take with me, if he chooses to come,
as I have a great respect for his father, and no fault to find with him,
that is, generally speaking--but as for Mesty--why, he is a good man,
and as you have behaved yourself very well, perhaps I may think of it."

The next day Mesty was included among the boat's crew taken with him by
Captain Wilson, according to the regulations of the service, and
appointed to the same situation under the master-at-arms of the
_Aurora_